Orbital disc sander support

Details Orbital disc sander support Orbital disc sander support

2000-01-21

2001-10-16

Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)

Abrading

Tool support for flexible-member tool

Reexamination Certificate

active

06302774

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of workshop accessories that may be used to complement orbital disc sanders.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Over the last ten years orbital disc sanders have gained acceptance in the marketplace. Orbital disc sanders are characterised by a rotational and orbital motion of the sanding disc surface. This combined motion is in contrast with the purely orbital motion of more traditional random orbital sanders.
Orbital disc sanders need to be stopped before they are set down, otherwise they are likely to vibrate off of the work surface and fall to the ground where they may be damaged. Due to the rotational inertia of the rotating sanding head, the head may take over ten seconds to fully stop. As such, every time the operator of an orbital disc sander needs to attend to a different task there is time wasted waiting for the sander to completely stop.
The sanding surface of orbital disc sanders comprises of a disc shaped sanding sheet that is attached to the sanding head with a pressure sensitive adhesive or a hook and loop fastener. These sanding disc sheets must routinely be replaced when their surface wears out or becomes packed with dust and grit. Industries that intensively use orbital disc sanders can spend considerable amounts of time and money replacing the sanding disc sheets.
SUMMARY
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided a sander support for a sander with a rotating head having a flat sanding surface, comprising: a turntable comprising a base and a platform rotatably mounted to the base, the platform having a hole for expelling dust and grit removed from the flat sanding surface; a retainer extending upwardly, from one of the platform and the base, about a periphery of the platform so as to define a space for reception of the rotating head in order to retain the sander on the platform; and a pad carried by the platform on which the flat sanding surface of the rotating head may rest for removing dust and grit from the sanding surface.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a combination of a turntable and an orbital disc sander, comprising: a turntable; an orbital disc sander with a rotating sanding head; and a retainer extending from the turntable retaining the rotating sanding head of the orbital disc sander on the turntable.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a sander support for supporting a sander with a rotating sanding head having a flat sanding surface, comprising: a base; a thrust bearing; a platform rotatably mounted to the base with the thrust bearing, the platform having a hole for expelling dust and grit removed from the flat sanding surface; a retaining wall extending upwardly from the platform, the wall and platform defining a space for receiving the rotating sanding head for retaining the sander; a rubber pad inserted above the platform in the space defined by the wall and the platform, for cleaning the flat sanding surface of the rotating sanding head; and a non-skid pad attached below the base for absorbing vibration.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a process for cleaning a sander with a rotating sanding head having a flat sander surface, comprising: rotating the sanding head; and placing the flat sanding surface of the rotating sanding head on a pad carried by a rotatable platform of a turntable while said platform with pad is stationary so that dust and grit is removed from said flat sanding surface by virtue of the sliding frictional contact between the flat sanding surface and the pad.
The present invention may be used in combination with an orbital disc sander to prevent the sander from falling off the work surface when it is set down while running and to help clean the sanding disc surface. These characteristics may increase operator efficiency by avoiding the need to stop and re-start the sander whenever an operator must attend to a different task, reduce costs by extending the life of the sanding disc surface, and protect the sander by preventing it from falling to the ground.


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patent: 4287685 (1981-09-01), Marton
patent: 5309682 (1994-05-01), Gutknecht et al.
patent: 5384986 (1995-01-01), Hirose et al.
patent: 5419737 (1995-05-01), Brazell et al.
patent: 5868605 (1999-02-01), Cesna

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